Someone was asking the other day about which record was the first to be released with a bar-code.

On a similar note, while scanning yet a-bloody-nother nasty injection moulded label just now, I found myself wondering what the very last record to be pressed using this regrettable technique might be. (They have stopped doing it, haven't they? ...haven't they?)

I don't know which was the last one to be pressed, I wonder which was the first one? I think the first one I ever bought was Relay by The Who but that most certainly wasn't the first one made. It would appear that the first ones were made by the Phonodisc companies (Philips, Polydor etc.) on continental Europe, particularly France and Germany around about 1971.

With regard to the first injection moulded singles. According to an article on page 1 of Billboard magazine for 16th Oct 1971: 'Phonodisc is experimenting with a new production technique, painted labels, pioneered by French company SFP. The new process prints the labels directly on the records, cutting out the production costs of printing labels on paper. The new technique at present is limited to selected Polydor and Philips singles, and has been used on the New Seekers' 'Never Ending Song Of Love' and St. Cecelia's 'Leap Up And Down'. A specially adapted injection moulding machine is used in the process. Tony Muxlow, Phonodisc general manager, said "There is a cost saving using the method but at the moment it is very much at the development stage. It is confined to the Polydor and Philips labels, but we certainly won't be using it throughout our releases at the moment." The painted labels process will be used on the forthcoming Slade single, 'Cos I Luv You', to be released by Polydor this week.'

It's vinyl, I have some French and German LP's where The "label" is printed directly on to the wax, (like this Jam LP)...The US Amy Mala Bell singles, have the label image printed directly onto polysturene..(a silk screen process)...John

I have in my collection a copy of the Bob Dylan tribute album "It Ain't Me Babe" on Polystar records ("Made in France") where the label has been printed directly on to the record, and I'm pretty sure I've seen a copy of The Bee Gees' "Spirits Having Flown" which uses a similar technique. For whatever reason, though, it didn't seem to become adopted as a widespread practice.

I've also had to return a couple of 45s to shops in my lifetime because the silver, gold or red spray had ended up on the vinyl itself, so it clearly wasn't a 100% reliable method (although I suppose you could also say that paper labels can be applied drastically off-centre and also ruin records, so it's hard to say which method is more fail-safe).

I was thinking about BeatleJ's reply the other day, I got mixed up about the phrase "Injection moulded". Of course styrene pressings would be injection and the label screen printed.
I feel certain that the later uk/european vinyl pressings would have their labels screen printed rather than stamped as well, I have seen plenty of iffy printed phonogram labels I assume the record companies thought it would save money on paper but I think a high volume of printing rejects would have negated any cost savings in manufacture.

And as a DJ its nearly impossible to read them in a dark club or rotating on the turntable , nevermind the thoughtlessness of difficulties in scanning for 45cat ( though the silver print on purple and blue of Pye and Philips are not much better )

According to Billboard magazine, January 23, 1954 Columbia and other Indie labels were indeed pressing styrene injection mold LP's.

I have a collection of 5000 45rpm records. Overall, I have to say that a NEW styrene record sound better than vinyl usually. I have had new vinyl records with surface static (not many but a few) but this has never been the case with styrene. From what I understand, regrind is common in vinyl pressings and too much can cause excessive surface noise.

There have been times I find a vinyl record in a store, looks unplayed and new, I buy it and bring it home, Clean it properly and play it and it has crackles still. This has not been the case with styrene.

It would appear that in the US, the last injection-molded styrene 45's were made by Columbia's Carrollton, GA plant in fall 1991, after which Columbia went with MCA's Gloversville, NY plant for the next decade or more before that plant closed. But that's for a whole 'nother thread.

Some budget record labels like Sunset (Liberty's budget label) and Halo Records in the 50's released injected molded LP's. The Sunset LP's I had (Petula Clark, Gary Lewis) had pasted on paper labels, and the Halo album had a painted on label. But like a styrene 45 they can trash instantly under a heavy tone arm or worn out needle.

And be careful with the Bell-Amy-Mala 45's that were pressed by Bestway in Morningside NJ. I have found out the styrene they used has become very brittle over 40+ years and can crack easily.

I think Bestway's painted-on label process was very primitive compared to Polygram's, considering Bestway's sloppy smeared paint job and how quickly it can wear off. Bestway lasted into the 80's but I think they stopped making painted on labels 45's around 1970-71.

...incedentally, where do people stand on this US version (not one thing or the other, really)?

I'm very wary of pressings like that. Anything that looks remotely beaten up will probably sound like crap, in my experience.

Luckily, pressings like this were pretty much limited to Bell/Amy/Mala group labels. And for many pressings, promo copies can be found with paper labels, which usually means better pressing quality. (Has anyone come across a promo copy with a painted-on label?)

I'm very wary of pressings like that. Anything that looks remotely beaten up will probably sound like crap, in my experience.

Luckily, pressings like this were pretty much limited to Bell/Amy/Mala group labels. And for many pressings, promo copies can be found with paper labels, which usually means better pressing quality. (Has anyone come across a promo copy with a painted-on label?)

You're looking at one. Bell/Amy/Mala (and the myriad of labels they also distributed) used "Plug Side" "Advance Copy" and "Promotion Copy" on all promo 45's. Unfortunately they didn't start pressing promo copies with paper labels and some 45's on vinyl until around 1965. I think the first ones I saw were on Bob Crewe's DynoVox, DynoVoice and New Voice labels.

The president of Bestway Products was once part owner of Bell and the kids Golden Records labels.